


Proxy

by orphan_account



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Dark fic, Definite Spoilers!!! For multiple routes, FellStar!Byleth, M!Byleth - Freeform, M/M, Timeskip, possible dub-con elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-26 06:27:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20385157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Poor, sweet little lion…”Dimitri tried to object, yelping as the air was forced from his lungs. Byleth immobilized him against the mattress, eyes flashing dangerously.“I’m afraid your Professors not here.”- - -What if Dimitri followed Byleth into the void?... what if he brought the wrong one home?





	Proxy

**Author's Note:**

> Based off an AU from @guessibetter whom i ADORE - thank you so much for your permission to write this ;A;  
https://twitter.com/guessibetter/status/1164411743424135168?s=20
> 
> feel free to find myself as well @AtelierIxxie

The last thing he remembered was the claw of Dedue’s hand down his spine, attempting to pull him back from the void.

In truth, he given the situation little thought. When he’d seen Byleth struggling against the black, inky hands of Solon’s flames, the promise of his own death hadn’t so much as crossed his mind. All that mattered was rushing to his professors side, screams of protest be damned.

It was a struggle to wrench his way through, swiping uselessly at the blossoming flames. Solon’s horrible laughter rang in his ears, overpowering.

But Byleth was there. He needed him, needed help. Dimitri broke through just as the man turned, blue eyes wide.

Together they tumbled into the dark, swept away by a sea of flame that threatened to drown them. Dimitri fumbled blindly as he fell through vast nothingness, crying out Byleth‘s name. Screaming for his precious professor.

There was movement beside him, a cry of pain, and then 

Absolutely

Nothing

\- - - 

His eyes hurt. Were they open? Shut? It was impossible to tell. Dimitri prodded at his own face, standing precariously. Where had they found themselves now?

“Professor?”

He waited, sweating profusely. Dimitri did not often feel fear, but he would later admit that, swathed in the void, he felt unabashed and absolute terror.

“Professor Byleth?” He tried again, taking a step. “Are you here? Have you been injured?”

Goddess forbid. The crumpled body of his teacher found his mind's eye, broken and bloodied as the man bled into darkness.

Alone. Afraid.

“Professor!” The blond broke into a lope, hoping if nothing else that his feet would find purchase on something, somewhere. But there was nothing, no one. Not a single promising sign of life.

Time stood still and raced all at the same time. 

Dimitri sobbed a note, choking on stagnant air. He was going to die here. Byleth was going to die here. Everything they’d fought for was gone, forgotten forever. Jeralt unavenged, the students abandoned, his vows to the ghosts at his back broken.

What a shame. What a failure he was.

He’d failed. Failed them all. Failed everything.

Despair and darkness flowed in, leaving nothing but cold, frigid waters running through his veins.

Falling to his knees, Dimitri shook his head, “Byleth... I... I’m so sorry...”

He didn’t know how long he sat there, curled into a ball. It could have been minutes. Months. Years.

All he had to mark the time was the steady thump, thump, thump of his heart. Steadily growing louder, crowding his ears. It was deafening in the silence, permeating all his senses.

Dimitri clutched at his chest and wheezed. It hurt.

It hurt, it hurt, it hurt. He wanted Byleth to tell him everything was alright. To smile that sad, solemn smile and assure him once more.

His heart was quiet under his hand. But… the thumping continued.

He shook. Ever so slowly, blue eyes drew up. Struggling, pointless, into the dark.

But

There was a tendril of green light extending towards him. Brilliant and beautiful. He reached for it, fearing if he did not that it would simply disappear, plunging him into darkness again.

His fingers found purchase, and from the gloom emerged a hand; it touched him so gently, creeping up the fabric of his armor.

Up his chest, playfully over the soft velvet of Dimitri’s throat. He gasped and trembled under those frigid fingers as they found the curve of his bottom lip.

“Perfect...” 

He jumped.

The fingers found his jaw, pressed into the meat of shallow cheeks and gripped tight. From the gloom emerged a cheshire grin, wholly alien on the face of his beloved, precious Byleth.

It was all so very wrong. The green, the glow, the menace in his eyes.

In that moment Dimitri felt, for the second time, so terribly afraid.

\- - -

Byleth breathed deeply of the saturated, humid air. A fresh rain had fallen here, soaking the earth and leaving his boots rather muddied. There was a playful smile on his face, though it failed to reach his eyes. Dimitri stood wary at his side, shaking from what he promised himself was the chill of the mist.

The man had cut through the void like it was nothing. Eyes and hair alight in an otherworldly glow. Kindled by the lifeblood of Sothis herself, he looked like a God descended.

But there was something so very, awfully wrong.

This Byleth regarded him with predatory eyes, raking away flesh and bone to slip into the soul beneath. He felt naked and powerless before the man, unable to hide behind the plating of his armor.

He saw right through him.

A Fell Star. The title felt appropriate. Solon had whispered it like the beginnings of a prayer even as the sword of the creator ran him through. The life bled from him without further preamble, taking any hope of an explanation with it. It took everything he had to tear his eyes from the sight, wishing to ask his teacher if he'd gleaned any insight.

But he stopped, too stunned to do so. 

Sword dripping at his side, the man who had only ever been the perfect picture of calm and collected... was smiling.

When he saw Dimitri staring, mouth turned down, he grinned, “Fell Star. A suitable name." Those primal eyes pinned Dimitri to the spot, sending his heart racing. “I rather like it… Don’t you, little lion?”

He didn’t reply. Didn’t have a chance. Dedue was at his side in an instant, demanding his status. The others followed quickly thereafter, worry clear on their faces. He didn’t know how to explain what had happened, nor did he have an answer as to what was clearly ailing their Professor. The man was standing, sword at his side, eyes to the heavens… with that same, eerie smile.

Like he knew something they didn’t. 

Instead of answers, Dimitri could only shake his head, “Let’s head back.”

\- - -

He left the infirmary later that night. There was a rather itchy bandage on his cheek, but aside from that, Dimitri had no complaints. The only issue he could summon was an undefinable worry that boiled within, one that bubbled anxiously as he made his way back to the dorms.

Byleth’s light was off. He walked past slowly, entertaining the idea of knocking. Perhaps his professor had simply been shaken by the events of the day. Angry, of course. Sad, even more so. The man had lost his father, traveled the nether, and ascended, somehow, the ladder of godhood.

And all in one day.

Anyone would be a little off-kilter. That was undeniable. Dimitri sympathized highly, knowing the pain of losing not only a family, but an entire generation in but a night. Duscur was as good an example as any, and the voices at his back begged for empathy.

Yes, he thought. Come morning, Dimitri would knock. He’d plead Byleth to tea, treat the man to his own raffle of gifts and sweets, and assure him that all was well within the world. The blond was going nowhere, his class adored him, and his professor would never have worry of being alone.

He was sure the others would heartily agree. Perhaps they too had already had the same thoughts, passing through in hopes of rallying for Byleth’s attention…

Jealousy ate at his heart. Briefly, strongly. The boy could do nothing but sigh, head shaking. Now was not the time for such feelings. He was tired, explicitly so. 

That thought carried him to his room. Comforting. Distracting. So much so that, on arrival, he belatedly realized the door was already pushed aside, creaking open with ease at his touch.

Someone… was inside. 

Dimitri froze, letting the grain of the wood slip free of his fingers and thump against the wall. He stood, waiting for his eyes to adjust before calling into the room.

"Hello?"

The titter of a laugh came to him. 

“Well,” it began, crooning, “come on in.”

A candle flashed into life, illuminating the figure against the wall. Byleth, arms crossed, watched him with obvious interest.

“Um.” Dimitri swallowed, nervous. “Professor. I wasn’t expecting you.”

The man said nothing. A lazy smile grew, eyes half-lidded, “Of course not. _I_ was expecting _you_.”

Byleth pushed himself from the stones, looking very much the predator that he was. Shoulders broad, body imposing, he was at the doorway in an instant.

His hand found the cold metal collar at Dimitri’s neck just as the man shuddered a reply.

“I should go find Manuela.” He insisted, stopping Byleth in his tracks. “You’re ill, Professor. I’m worried about you.”

Byleth hummed thoughtfully, fingers naught but a breath away. His eyes worked fondly upward, smile growing when he found Dimitri’s nervous blue's.

“Worried about me… Why, Dimitri? I’ve never felt better.”

“You’re experiencing all manner of pain right now, anyone can see that.” Dimitri shook his head, daring to take Byleth’s plated hand in his own. “Please, I know how difficult it can be. There’s something wrong here, something’s _been_ wrong, ever since this morning. If you’d just sit with me. _Talk_! We can figure this out.”

The man regarded him coolly. Glowing green eyes, mint green hair. He truly looked nothing like the solemn faced man Dimitri had followed into the forest just that morning. Between the worry and the desire for Byleth’s safety, he noticed the upward twitch, the fangs, all too late.

In one swift motion, Byleth swept him into the room, door slamming behind. Dimitri had but a heartbeat to analyze the situation before the world swept sideways and the bed rose up to meet him.

His stomach flipped, face flushing. What he wouldn't have given to find himself in this situation only a few hours prior. The bed dipped dangerously beside him as it accommodated more weight that it was used to, the very picture of a year long fantasy crawling his way. But this wasn't the way he'd wanted it. This wasn't... Byleth was...

“Poor, sweet little lion…” 

Dimitri tried to object, yelping as the air was forced from his lungs. Byleth immobilized him against the mattress, eyes flashing dangerously.

“I’m afraid your Professors not here.”


End file.
